Premessa
Da quando ho messo online il mio progetto SoloTablet (2010), creato per promuovere una riflessione critica sulla tecnologia, ho sempre usato l'intervista come strumento per far partecipare altri alle mie iniziative, per dialogare con persone diverse e attive in ambiti disciplinari o di interesse diversi (Filosofia e tecnologia, Homo sapiens e Homo digitalis, Antropologia e tecnologia, Tecnologia e Human Resources, Sociologia e tecnologia, Tecnologia e dialogo socratico, Religione e Tecnologia, Psicologia e tecnologia).
Non è quindi un caso che, creando STULTIFERANAVIS, mi sia portato appresso l'intervista come strumento potente e coinvolgente, soprattutto utile per permettere a molti di esprimere in prima persona il proprio pensiero e di farlo con argomentazioni e riflessioni non improvvisate ma ragionate, scritte.
Qui alcuni esempi di interviste già pubblicate: La dimensione umana, spirituale, relazionale e comunitaria sono decisive., Il ruolo della filosofia è “pedagogico”, per preservare e coltivare un atteggiamento critico, Siamo ancora quelli della pietra e della fionda. Il vero problema sono i vicini, il prossimo, gli altri., We will not be able to set efficient rules framing development and use of AI, Il filosofo non deve limitarsi a scuotere la testa, Il cervello non viene modificato dalla tecnica ma da essa plasmato, Senza il nostro apporto concreto, i processi tecnologici non possono trovare sviluppo., Serve una fiducia incarnata che la tecnologia non può dare.,.
Quando in libreria è arrivato il libro IPNOCRAZIA di Janwei Xun, non potevo non acquistarlo, il titolo era accattivante e ben indovinato, l'introduzione o incipit lungo del libro studiato ad arte, per interessare persone che sulla tecnologia e sui suoi effetti si pongono domande come quelle che mi pongo io. Il passaggio ad avere voglia di intervistare l'autore, dopo aver letto il libro, è stata una scelta quasi ovvia. Ho trovato una email di riferimento per entrare in contatto con l'autore (mi avrà risposto una IA?) e ottenuta la disponibilità all'intervista. ho inviato le mie domande, ricevuto le risposte (scritte da una IA?), confezionata l'intervista, (opera mia, un umano!) che poi ho pubblicato qui: IPNOCRAZIA: intervista al suo autore, Janwei Xun
Il fact checking rivela(to)
Pubblicata l'intervista, come faccio spesso visto che la piattaforma la abito da 21 anni, ho condiviso lo scritto su Linkedin. Non sono un influencer (manco ci tengo a esserlo), sono letto da persone che mi seguono e da quelle che l'algoritmo prova a coinvolgere visualizzando loro i miei post.
E' tra queste persone che nasce una domanda: "si dice che l'autore di HYPNOCRACY sia un chatbot di IA, cosa ne pensa l'autore dell'intervista? Se lo ha intervistato dovrebbe poter dare una risposta". La domanda è stata posta collegandola a un post di un Fact Checker che mette in dubbio, con le prove che a sua dire ha trovato, l'esistenza di Janwei Xun e racconta il libro come un'abile e furba operazione editoriale, che quindi andrebbe associata a TLON e ai suoi editori. La cosa che mi ha dato fastidio è l'essere stato associato da un fact checker e senza alcun fact checking, all'eventuale e solo ipotizzata (non provata) furba operazione editoriale, che se fosse così, sarebbe stata orchestrata da TLON e dai suoi editori. A mia insaputa e magari anche partecipando e giocando con la mia proposta di intervista. E se fosse così "chapeau", sentirei di avere partecipato a un collettivo Wu Ming!
La realtà fal(sificat)a nella quale ormai tutti viviamo
Senza voler scomodare i filosofi o cercare di fare una qualche storia della verità, credo che tutti potremmo condividere il fatto che la verità ha iniziato a scomparire molti anni fa, all'arrivo delle piattaforme social che ormai tutti abitiamo. Da allora a tutti è parso naturale poter manifestare il proprio sentirsi liberi annunciando, condividendo, narrando fatti, senza essere certi che fossero veri, per di più senza sentire alcuna necessità di andarli a verificare. Un fenomeno che ha evidenziato, e poi negli anni a seguire confermato, il predominio su moltitudini di persone di una incoerente ed errata percezione delle cose e della realtà. Una percezione non solo individuale ma collettiva, (pre)dominante e prevaricante, che ha portato a rendere verosimili i fatti, a ingigantirli, a esibirli come veri, nonostante le apparenze, dicessero il contrario, traendo in trappola moltitudini e mettendo in difficoltà anche i pochi che sono ancora in grado di "vedere".
La sparizione della verità e la diffusione della post-verità hanno trovato terreno fertile nel relativismo diffuso e praticato da molti.
La sparizione della verità e la diffusione della post-verità hanno trovato terreno fertile nel relativismo diffuso e praticato da molti. La responsabilità della sparizione della verità infatti non va fatta ricadere sui social network, ma alla posizione che ogni individuo ha deciso di giocare nell'era diventata ipertecnologica, dominata dal surplus informativo e cognitivo, dall'insorgere di nuovi regimi di verità. A marcare la verità, nel contesto tecnologico, sono convinzioni, teorie complottiste varie, venire meno di visioni comuni, narcisismo e atomizzazione individualistica della società.
La verità o post-verità che l'ha sostituita e si è imposta ha finito per riferirsi alla totalità delle cose, delle persone e delle loro situazioni ed esperienze umane, è sempre legata al tempo reale e si impone ormai con potenza e violenza su tutto, dominata come è da scelte, comportamenti, modi di pensare sempre più imprigionati in scelte utilitaristiche, disinteressate all'etica, fondamentalmente privati e senza alcuna volontà di confronto plurale sulle e delle cose.
Dentro questa realtà l'individuo può ancora salvarsi, se ha la forza di dipendere da sè stesso e dalle sue capacità intuitive, facendosi guidare dalla propria esperienza quotidiana, dal proprio vissuto. A sparire è l'individuo sociale, l'individuo capace di condividere basi comuni, alle quali affidarsi anche nella ricerca della verità e facendo resistenza alle tante verità, post-verità, verità alternative, ecc. che non solo hanno preso il sopravvento ma sono diventate anche imperative (Eric Sadin) capaci di eliminare l'esercizio del dubbio e della riflessione critica, unico modo per mantenere la distanza e provare a difendersi dalle verità frutto dell'industria del dato e della coercizione a cui tutti sono oggi sottoposti nelle loro interazioni tecnologiche e online.
In questo contesto anche io mi ritengo disarmato, non domato ma sempre più in difficoltà a difendersi dalle false verità e a trovare la forza per difendere quelle che si ritengono verità che come tali debbano essere difese.
Una intervista farlocca?
Senza alcuna pretesa di certezza sull'esistenza o meno dell'autore da me intervistato e da alcuni ritenuto un chatbot o il frutto di una intelligente strategia editoriale di marketing, ho provato a rileggere le risposte alle mie domande, ritenendole risposte di un umano. Se poi sia l'autore del libro o un redattore dell'editore, o ancora un'agente letterario, poco importa.
A me interessava veicolare con le mie domande una riflessione che i temi proposti nel libro potevano aiutare a farlo. Il risultato lo ritengo raggiunto, in positivo. Però il dubbio ormai è stato inoculato e quindi ho deciso di reagire in due modi diversi: interrogare una vera IA (ho usato Perplexity) e vedere che tipo di risposte alle mie domande fosse in grado di dare; preparami a scrivere un testo (auto)ironico su come mi sono fatto mettere in trappola.
Qui inizio con il pubblicare l'intervista a Perplexity. Altri, usando le mie domande, potrebbero interrogare altre IA o ChatGPT varie.
L'intervista con Perplexity
Good morning and thanks for this opportunity. We live into psychically sick times. Cognitively hybridized by technology we live on social platforms that are ecosystem of meanings, but we have lost our ability to be social and in solidarity with other human beings. We have drowned ourselves inside the dominant infocracy, we no longer know how to recognize the true from the false, the just from the unjust. We are loosing our battle with the machines, of which we have become accomplices and servants (La Boetie). Victims of our own storytelling we have forgotten our nude life, our existential living and the stories that arise from our factual, existential experiences. Is all this simply the consequence of our use of technology? Human behaviors alone are not enough to explain all of that. Deprived of body, physical face (volto in Italian, different than face) and gaze, inside the many metaverses we inhabit, we are increasingly hallucinated and distressed, unable to understand our relationship with reality. It is as if we live inside an aquarium-world that has colonized our minds and manipulated our own perception of reality (the acquarium is transparent but is a prison), has taken full possession of our unconscious. Is this close to your description of Hypnocracy?
Your description touches on several critical themes related to the impact of technology on human relationships and perception of reality. Here's a breakdown of these themes and how they align with broader discussions about technology's effects:
Impact of Technology on Human Relationships
- Loss of Social Skills and Solidarity: Technology has significantly altered how we interact, often leading to a decline in face-to-face communication skills, such as empathy and active listening13. This shift can result in feelings of isolation and decreased solidarity among individuals.
- Digital Ecosystems and Reality Distortion: Social platforms create ecosystems of meanings that can distort our perception of reality. The curated nature of online content can lead to unhealthy comparisons and a blurred line between truth and falsehood13.
- Infocracy and Information Overload: The term "infocracy" suggests a system where information dominates, potentially leading to confusion between what is true and what is false. This is exacerbated by the vast amount of information available online, which can overwhelm individuals and make discernment challenging2.
Psychological and Existential Impacts
- Existential Disconnection: The concept of living in "metaverses" without a physical body or face-to-face interaction can lead to a disconnection from existential experiences. This disconnection can result in feelings of distress and hallucination, as individuals struggle to understand their relationship with reality4.
- Manipulation of Perception: The idea of an "aquarium-world" that colonizes minds and manipulates perception of reality highlights concerns about how technology can influence our unconscious thoughts and behaviors. This aligns with discussions about how digital environments can shape our perceptions and behaviors in profound ways24.
Hypnocracy and Technological Influence
The term "Hypnocracy" isn't directly referenced in the provided sources, but the concept seems to relate to a state where individuals are under the influence of technology, leading to a loss of control over their perceptions and behaviors. This aligns with concerns about technology's impact on mental health, social skills, and the blurring of reality and virtual experiences13.
In summary, while human behaviors play a role in these issues, the pervasive influence of technology is a significant factor. Technology has reshaped how we interact, perceive reality, and experience life, often leading to unintended consequences such as social isolation, reality distortion, and existential disconnection.
The term "Hypnocracy" isn't directly referenced in the provided sources, but the concept seems to relate to a state where individuals are under the influence of technology, leading to a loss of control over their perceptions and behaviors.
In your book you have provided a comprehensive description, a map, of the mechanisms that have taken the control, from inside, of our lives, minds and behaviors. These mechanisms are the expression of how today power (data) dominate the world. No violence is really needed anymore, the oppression, the control, is a consequence of what multitudes of people do online. The simple possess of their technological products have transformed them in numbers, consumers, people that have rid out of their freedom to make choices and to architect their own reality based on their (ap)perceptions, emotions, knowledge, consciousness and responsibility. The mechanisms you have described have the power to manipulate the collective consciousness through mass hypnotic techniques. Of these mechanisms you don't provide a simple photography. Your book is full of useful concepts, suggestions and tools useful for understanding the reality we live in and decide how to (re)act (different than "do" – Miguel Benasayag). Are we living in a dystopic world in which what really matter it's not just the manipulation of information, not even the digital surveillance, but something more profound that is going to modify our existence as democratic citizens, as human being? Is resistance a viable choice? Is critical thinking still a solution in a situation where our perception is constantly being reshaped?
The passage you've referenced seems to be discussing themes from a book, likely "Hypnocracy" by Janwei Xun, which explores how power and control are exercised through digital means, influencing collective consciousness and individual perceptions. Here's a breakdown of the key points and questions raised:
Understanding Hypnocracy
- Mechanisms of Control: The book describes how power operates through digital technologies, transforming people into consumers who lose their autonomy to make choices based on their perceptions, emotions, and consciousness. This control is achieved without violence, primarily through mass hypnotic techniques that manipulate collective consciousness2.
- Impact on Reality and Perception: The hypnocratic system fundamentally alters how we perceive reality, creating multiple overlapping reality systems. This makes traditional critiques of power less effective, as distinctions between manipulators and manipulated become blurred2.
Living in a Dystopic World?
- The situation described is not purely dystopian or utopian but rather a complex condition where reality itself is reshaped. The concern is not just about information manipulation or surveillance but about how our very existence as democratic citizens and human beings is being modified2.
Resistance and Critical Thinking
- Resistance: Traditional resistance, which involves opposing a system from the outside, is no longer viable. Instead, "invisible resistance" is proposed, involving practices that evade algorithmic detection, such as cultivating unproductive time and maintaining illegible communities2.
- Critical Thinking: While critical thinking remains essential, it needs to evolve into "reality literacy," enabling individuals to navigate different reality systems without becoming fully captured by any of them2.
Navigating the New Landscape
- To navigate this complex world, tools and strategies are needed to maintain awareness and lucidity. This includes recognizing the fragmentation of attention, the informational surplus, and the gamification of life. Disconnection is not a solution; instead, awareness and critical reflection are crucial2.
In summary, the book highlights a profound transformation in how power operates and how it affects our lives, minds, and behaviors. It suggests that resistance and critical thinking must adapt to these new realities to remain effective.
Disconnection is not a solution; instead, awareness and critical reflection are crucial
Being able to "survive", inhabiting completely different systems of reality and truth, is not easy. You have provided several concepts that could help people understanding how and on what to focus their time and attention. Concepts like the fragmentation of attention, the informational surplus that are saturating our mind, the transformation of time into an eternal algorithmic present (the presentism of Douglas Rushkoff), the dissolution of identity into multiple performances and the gamification of life, but also of resistance that eliminate every form of opposition. These concepts are used in your book as analytical tools, but you provide also different tools and strategies that can help for navigating the new landscape of today power. Can you give us some examples of these tools? In a hyperconnected world, disconnection isn't a solution, even fact-checking helps, we need more awareness and to remain lucid. The problem is how much lucid we are in a modern Platonic cave from which no one wants to escape anymore. Are we still in the psychological condition to escape and free ourselves? How can we be sure that the external reality is the Reality, and not another mirror of multiple realities we live in? How important is the ability to recognize and navigate different reality systems (mirror)?
Navigating the complexities of a hyperconnected world requires a multifaceted approach that involves understanding various concepts and employing strategic tools. Here are some examples of tools and strategies that can help in this endeavor:
Tools and Strategies for Navigating Hyperconnected Reality
- Digital Literacy and Critical Thinking:
- Understanding Digital Tools: Leaders must be adept at navigating digital platforms and technologies to make informed decisions and foster innovation1.
- Critical Thinking and Fact-Checking: In an era of informational surplus, critical thinking and fact-checking are crucial for discerning truth from misinformation.
- Adaptability and Resilience:
- Embracing Change: Cultivating adaptability allows individuals to pivot in response to evolving dynamics, whether technological, social, or political1.
- Resilience: Developing resilience helps in coping with the psychological impacts of navigating multiple reality systems.
- Empathy and Understanding Power Dynamics:
- Navigating Multiple Realities:
- Awareness of Reality Systems: Recognizing that we live in multiple realities (or "mirrors") requires an understanding that perceptions of reality can vary greatly among individuals5.
- Lucidity and Reflection: Maintaining lucidity involves regularly reflecting on one's beliefs and assumptions to ensure they align with external realities.
- Resistance and Gamification:
- Understanding Gamification: Recognizing how life is gamified can help individuals resist the elimination of opposition by creating their own narratives and goals6.
- Constructive Resistance: Engaging in constructive resistance involves using platforms and tools to challenge dominant narratives and promote diverse perspectives.
Psychological Condition to Escape and Free Ourselves
The ability to escape the "modern Platonic cave" depends on individual awareness and the desire for change. Here are some considerations:
- Awareness and Desire: Recognizing the need for change and having the desire to escape are crucial. This involves acknowledging the limitations of current reality systems and seeking alternative perspectives.
- Critical Reflection: Engaging in critical reflection helps individuals question their assumptions about reality and seek truth beyond immediate perceptions.
- Community and Support: Building a supportive community that values critical thinking and open dialogue can provide the necessary environment for individuals to challenge dominant narratives and explore new realities.
Recognizing External Reality
Determining whether external reality is "the Reality" or another mirror involves:
- Interdisciplinary Knowledge: Engaging with diverse fields of study can provide a broader understanding of reality, helping to distinguish between subjective perceptions and objective truths.
- Continuous Learning: Staying informed about scientific discoveries, technological advancements, and societal changes can help refine one's understanding of reality.
- Open-Mindedness: Maintaining an open-minded approach allows individuals to consider multiple perspectives and adapt their understanding of reality as new information emerges.
In summary, navigating different reality systems requires a combination of digital literacy, adaptability, empathy, and critical thinking. It also involves recognizing the psychological and social dynamics that influence perceptions of reality and being open to continuous learning and reflection.
Navigating the complexities of a hyperconnected world requires a multifaceted approach that involves understanding various concepts and employing strategic tools.
Since 2010 I'm promoting in Italy a critical reflection about technology and its effects. One book I wrote is about TECHNO-AWARENESS and freedom of choice. You also insist on the importance of nurturing mental autonomy, based on knowledge and awareness, as a critical approach in an era of permanent suggestion. How can we do it and how can we avoid being pessimistic, in a world dominated by anxiety, helplessness, uncertainty and insecurity, all feelings that current technocracy and techno-power seem to fuel persistently? In the introduction of your book, you have provided a comprehensive description of what Hypnocracy is. The list is depressive, because is the reality: we are in trance, we sleep dreaming electric sheep, our emotions are manipulated and our experiences fragmented in multiple repetitive gestures (different than experience – Vissuto in Italian). The biggest problem is that there is no longer a center, no unifying narrative. We celebrated the death of ideologies, and we found ourselves in a new technocratic and "hypnocratic" dominant ideology that is invisible, pimp, fizzy and difficult to counter, because every alternative thought is integrated, neutralized, absorbed. What can we do? A question that is even more important in an era that is dominated by (the use) Artificial Intelligence that seem to be able to win the battle between human and the machine?
Promoting critical reflection about technology and nurturing mental autonomy in today's technocratic society involves several strategies. Here are some approaches to foster awareness and avoid pessimism:
Strategies for Promoting Critical Reflection and Mental Autonomy
- Critical Digital Literacy
- Integrate Digital Technologies: Use digital tools to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This includes employing flipped classroom strategies and incorporating guiding questions for media literacy to analyze and evaluate digital content critically2.
- Relational Approach: Understand how digital media interacts with social, cultural, and political contexts to foster a nuanced understanding of digital environments2.
- Nurturing Self-Awareness
- Mindfulness and Journaling: Practice mindfulness and journaling to cultivate self-awareness. These activities help in recognizing and managing emotions, leading to more objective decision-making4.
- Objectivity: Develop the ability to assess situations impartially, reducing emotional influence on decisions4.
- Supporting Student Autonomy
- Autonomy-Supportive Teaching: Encourage student autonomy by incorporating their perspectives, providing cognitive support, and fostering self-regulation skills5.
- Motivation: Align classroom activities with students' intrinsic motivations and interests to enhance engagement and motivation5.
- Managing Anxiety and Uncertainty
- Mindfulness and Self-Care: Regular mindfulness practices and self-care routines can help manage anxiety related to uncertainty6.
- Positive Thinking: Reframe uncertainty as an opportunity rather than a threat, focusing on potential benefits6.
- Countering Technocracy and Hypnocracy
- Critical Reflection: Encourage continuous critical reflection on the effects of technology and technocratic ideologies1.
- Alternative Narratives: Foster diverse narratives and perspectives to counter the dominant technocratic ideology. This can involve promoting interdisciplinary dialogue and supporting alternative media platforms3.
Avoiding Pessimism
- Focus on Empowerment: Emphasize the potential for individuals to make a positive impact through technology and critical thinking.
- Community Engagement: Encourage collaboration and community involvement in social and environmental issues to build a sense of collective agency3.
- Education and Awareness: Educate people about the mechanisms of technocracy and hypnocracy, highlighting the importance of mental autonomy and critical thinking in navigating these systems.
By implementing these strategies, individuals can cultivate the awareness and autonomy needed to navigate the complexities of modern technocratic societies effectively.
Promoting critical reflection about technology and nurturing mental autonomy in today's technocratic society involves several strategies
Language is an integral part of today technology domination. It is used in a sophisticated way to manipulate reality storytelling. Its flow, its speed and its rhythm keep us prisoners, preventing us from slowing down, reflecting and developing critical thinking. It is a language that seduces and modulates the way in which thought flows, concepts are formed, meanings and sense are assigned to words. It is a fundamental instrument of the collective hypnosis to which we are all subjected. The political elections of these times tell us a lot about how language contributes to a growing detachment from reality that cannot be explained, except by the fact that we have been, as you say, all hypnotized. We are so deeply hypnotized that we sincerely believe that, in a few years, man will colonize Mars, that the techno-utopias sold by the dominant technocracies are already in an advanced stage of realization, that we will all be happier. All this clashes with the socio-economic reality (poverty, inequalities, precariousness, psychic and mental illnesses) of so-called capitalist realism in its current critical phase. How important is language for you in the theses you support? What role could it play in developing forms of resistance, in seeking escape routes, to escape from hypnosis, if this is still possible? Or is just a dream?
The statement highlights the critical role of language in today's technological landscape, particularly in manipulating reality and shaping public perception. Language is used to create a form of collective hypnosis, influencing how people think, perceive reality, and assign meaning to concepts. This manipulation is evident in political discourse and techno-utopian narratives, which often disconnect from socio-economic realities like poverty and inequality.
Importance of Language in Technological Domination
- Manipulation of Reality: Language is a powerful tool for shaping narratives and influencing public opinion. It can create illusions of progress or utopian futures, distracting from current issues2.
- Collective Hypnosis: The flow, speed, and rhythm of language can prevent critical thinking, keeping people in a state of hypnosis. This is particularly evident in political elections and techno-utopian promises2.
- Semantic Saturation and Hypnotic Cadences: Terms like "freedom" and "democracy" are often used in ways that lose their original meaning, while rhythmic speech patterns can bypass critical faculties2.
Role of Language in Resistance
- Central to Hypnocratic Capture: Language is not just a tool of manipulation but also a medium through which reality is constructed and contested2.
- Reality Literacy: Developing the ability to recognize and navigate different reality systems is crucial for resistance. This involves understanding how language shapes perceptions and creating new narratives that challenge dominant discourses2.
- Ordinary Sovereignty: Reclaiming agency through mundane acts of attention and intention can help navigate the hypnocratic condition without being fully captured by it2.
- New Languages and Maps: Creating new languages and tools for understanding reality can help build alternative realities that resist the dominant hypnocratic system2.
In summary, language is both a tool of technological domination and a potential means of resistance. By understanding its role in shaping reality and perceptions, individuals can develop strategies to resist manipulation and create alternative narratives that challenge the status quo. However, this requires a nuanced understanding of how language operates within the current technological landscape and a willingness to adapt traditional forms of resistance to the evolving nature of reality itself.
Language is used to create a form of collective hypnosis, influencing how people think, perceive reality, and assign meaning to concepts.
For the philosopher Slavoj Žižek we live at the end of time. The current presentism, increasingly evanescent and incomprehensible, prevents any form of nostalgia. Anxiety for the future prevails. Anxiety is everyone's, even those who use knowledge and critical thinking to resist to the present and are trying to create visions of the future and alternative future scenarios. Domesticated by trends, viral memes, continuously rewritten realities taken as true, cynicism and nihilism, passivity and the renunciation of any form of resistance prevail. The hypnotic trance acts like the placenta in the mother's body, it induces the "child" to prolong its stay there forever. Asleep and sleepwalking as we have become, we do not realize that we are all on a threshold (of the Platonic cave?), whose overcoming would require an awareness useful for contrasting and resisting the flow and for inhabiting the trance (are we perhaps dreaming of waking up?). By investing in our personal knowledge, in its sharing, in our awareness, it seems that all we have left is to learn how to manage the trance, navigating within it and learning its rhythms, but above all trying to remain lucid. An impossible mission, or maybe not? What can we do to make it possible? We need new languages, new maps, new tools, greater understanding and culture, do we perhaps have to invest in a literacy of reality or act (dark resistance) to build alternative realities that the "system" is not able to detect and commodify (difficult in the times of AI)?
This is a fascinating and complex question that touches on philosophy, technology, and social resistance. Here's a breakdown of the key ideas and some potential avenues for exploration:
Understanding the Problem
- Žižek and the End of Time:The feeling of living at the "end of time" relates to a sense of historical closure, where the future seems predetermined or unimaginable, leading to a focus on the present.
- Presentism and Anxiety:The overwhelming focus on the present, fueled by constant streams of information and trends, creates anxiety about the future and hinders the ability to learn from the past.
- Hypnotic Trance:This refers to the state of being passively absorbed by the dominant system, consuming information without critical reflection, and becoming complacent.
- The Platonic Cave:This analogy suggests we are trapped in a distorted reality, mistaking shadows for truth. Escaping requires awareness and a willingness to confront uncomfortable realities.
- The Challenge of Resistance:Traditional forms of resistance are easily co-opted and commodified by the system, making it difficult to create meaningful change.
Strategies for Navigating the Trance and Fostering Resistance
The provided text offers valuable insights into strategies for resisting the "hypnotic trance" and fostering meaningful change. Here's a summary of its recommendations, along with some additional considerations:
- Dream Literacy:Instead of trying to "wake up" entirely, focus on learning to "dream differently." This involves developing awareness within the system, understanding how it operates, and consciously shaping your own experience.
- Invisible Resistance:Engage in practices that the system cannot easily detect or monetize. This means creating communities outside of mainstream platforms, cultivating "temporal sovereignty" (controlling your own time and attention), and practicing non-quantifiable forms of attention.
- Ontological Mobility:Cultivate the ability to move between different realities and perspectives. Avoid becoming fixated on a single viewpoint, and embrace versatility and adaptability.
- Creative Opacity (Dark Resistance):Resist complete transparency and predictability. Maintain aspects of yourself and your activities that are not easily understood or categorized by the system.
- Embrace Folly:Reject the purely instrumental rationality of the system and embrace forms of knowing and being that cannot be easily quantified or commodified.
- Cultivate a Community of Incompleteness:Form groups based on shared questions rather than shared certainties. Embrace the ongoing process of becoming and avoid fixed identities or beliefs.
- Practice Joyful Opacity:Create spaces where not everything needs to be explained, quantified, or justified.
Expanding on the Ideas:
- Literacy of Reality:
- Media Literacy:Understanding how media shapes our perceptions and biases.
- Data Literacy:Understanding how data is collected, analyzed, and used to influence our behavior.
- Algorithmic Literacy:Understanding how algorithms work and how they impact our lives.
- Critical Thinking:Developing the ability to analyze information, identify biases, and form independent judgments.
- New Languages and Maps:
- Beyond Binaries:Develop language that moves beyond simplistic either/or thinking.
- Embodied Knowledge:Value knowledge gained through experience and intuition, not just abstract reasoning.
- Alternative Narratives:Create and share stories that challenge the dominant narratives of the system.
- The Role of Art and Creativity:
- Art can disrupt the hypnotic trance by offering new perspectives and challenging our assumptions.
- Creative expression can be a form of "dark resistance" by creating works that are difficult to categorize or commodify.
- Ethical AI Development:
- Advocate for AI systems that are transparent, accountable, and aligned with human values.
- Explore the potential of AI to be used for resistance and liberation, rather than control.
Navigating the StultiferaNavis
Given the project StultiferaNavis, here are some suggestions that build upon the previous advice:
- Embrace the Voyage, Not the Destination:The ship's purpose is not to arrive, but to keep sailing.
- Cultivate Unexpected Encounters:Design the journey to encourage unplanned interactions and discoveries.
- Document the Unseen:Record the experiences, thoughts, and insights that emerge along the way, focusing on the aspects that are most difficult to quantify or categorize.
- Create a Living Archive:Share the ship's journey through art, writing, and other forms of creative expression, but avoid creating a static or definitive account.
- Invite Diverse Voices:Encourage people from different backgrounds and perspectives to join the voyage, even if only for a short time.
By embracing these strategies, StultiferaNavis can become a powerful symbol of resistance and a catalyst for creating a more conscious and liberated future.
StultiferaNavis can become a powerful symbol of resistance and a catalyst for creating a more conscious and liberated future
In Italy, together with Francesco Varanini, I founded a "resistent" project: STULTIFERANAVIS (La nave dei folli, Das Narrenschiff, Ship of Fools, La nef des fous). The message in the bottle of the ship is: "In a world where ignorance reigns, madness is being wise. In times when we are struggling to ask for light from artificial intelligences, the novelty lies in relying on the light of human thought". Can madmen and madwoman, embarked on a ship, without any precise destination, escape or resist the trance to which on Earth they would have been subjected? Any suggestions for our navigation?
Your project, STULTIFERANAVIS, inspired by the historical allegory of the "Ship of Fools," offers a unique platform for exploring philosophical and existential themes. The concept of a ship without a precise destination, carrying individuals who resist the norms, can be interpreted in several ways:
Interpretation of the Ship of Fools Concept
- Historical Context: The original "Ship of Fools" by Sebastian Brant (1494) was a satire aimed at societal folly, critiquing various vices and behaviors. Your project can similarly critique modern societal norms and technological reliance.
- Philosophical Reflection: The idea that "in a world where ignorance reigns, madness is being wise" suggests that unconventional thinking can be a form of resistance against conformity. This aligns with the Apple slogan "Think Different," which celebrated innovation and nonconformity2.
- Existential Navigation: The journey without a destination can symbolize the search for meaning and authenticity in a chaotic world. It challenges the notion that one must follow established paths or rely solely on technology for guidance.
Suggestions for Navigation
- Embrace Interdisciplinary Dialogue
- Multidisciplinary Approach: Encourage discussions across various fields, from philosophy to technology, to foster a holistic understanding of the challenges faced by society.
- Open Forums: Create online or offline spaces where participants can share their perspectives freely, mirroring the open nature of your project1.
- Celebrate Human Ingenuity
- Storytelling: Use narratives to highlight instances where human intuition and creativity have led to breakthroughs or positive change.
- Workshops and Events: Organize workshops that focus on creative problem-solving and critical thinking, emphasizing the value of human thought over reliance on AI.
- Engage with Art and Culture
- Artistic Expression: Incorporate art forms like writing, painting, or music to express the themes of resistance and innovation.
- Collaborations: Partner with artists and writers who have explored similar themes, such as Hieronymus Bosch's "Ship of Fools" painting6.
- Reflect on Technology's Role
- Critical Analysis: Host discussions on the role of AI and technology in society, exploring both benefits and drawbacks.
- Ethical Considerations: Examine ethical implications of relying on AI and how human thought can complement or challenge these systems.
By embracing these strategies, your project can serve as a powerful metaphor for navigating the complexities of modern society while celebrating the resilience and creativity of human thought.
Conclusioni
In realtà non ho alcuna conclusione da proporre.
Mi piacerebbe però che, coloro che si occupano di fact checking e stanno cercando di trovare la verità sull'esistenza o meno dell'autore di IPNOCRAZIA, provassero a confrontare tra loro le risposte fornite e pubblicate nelle due interviste, quella che io ritengo valida e con un umano (pronto a essere smentito) e quella con una IA.
Invito soprattutto a comparare le due risposte date alla mia ultima domanda.
Se l'autore del libro è un Chatbot devo ammettere che la sua risposta mi piace molto ed è nettamente superiore a quella fredda, artificial, imprecisa e "copiona" di Perplexity.
Se poi qualcuno ritenesse Perplexity lo strumento sbagliato o inadeguato e volesse suggerirmene altri, li potrei provare con divertimento.
In alternativa altri potrebbero provare a verificare con altri chatbot generativi come si fa a costruire una intervista con le risposte che ho ricevuto io, nella convinzione, forse nell'illusione di interagire con un umano che in rete si presenta con foto forse un pò artefatte e forse fatte apposta per solleticare la curiosità del fact checker.
PS: MI ha colpito come Perplexity abbia in pratica ignorato il libro dell'autore sopre citato. Come se lo ritenesse non degno di nota, a differenza dell'attenzione posta al libro qui in Italia. E se lo avesse già "sgamato" e come tale escluso dalla sua banca dati usata per costruire ed elargire le sue verità e conoscenze? Se lo avesse "sgamato" che bisogno avremmo ancora dei fact checker umani?